District 13: Unlucky for some
by jaybeeuk
Summary: ** discontinued **
1. Chapter 1: Allocation

_A/N: _

_This has been rated M as it will contain some sexual content – You have been warned!_

_The inspiration for this comes from, obviously, the Hunger Games, and also The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I own neither of these._

_Pleeease, don't forget to review. It really does mean a lot to me, and I will respond to all of you._

_One important point: __**Peeta is not mad.**__ For the sake of this fiction, Peeta was rescued at the same time as Katniss, and did not undergo torture from the Capitol. The rest of the events are a continuation from Catching Fire, except the Rebellion has not been successful, and Katniss must now adapt to the strange ways of District 13. _

_Anyway, there's the warning, disclaimer and beg for reviews done, I guess all that's left is to ask you to enjoy!_

* * *

**District 13: Unlucky for some**

Chapter One: The Allocation

It was the Reaping all over again. Except this time it wasn't called the Reaping, it was called the Allocation. It was equally horrific.

Katniss hands shook as she held her fork, trying, unsuccessfully, to chew and swallow, chew and swallow, until her carefully measured scrambled eggs and bacon vanished. Always just enough to sustain her, but on this day it seemed like an unconquerable mountain.

It took a couple of months, but Katniss had gotten used to life in District 13. Besides, once it had become clear that the Rebellion would never come to fruition, there was suddenly one Mockingjay too many hiding beneath pipes in the cellars.

Her friends had already learned so much about life in District 13.

"It is a good job you're trying to catch-up." Prim chastised, when Katniss had first returned to reality, her tail tucked between her legs. "You old ones only have a month until your Allocation."

Prim had to explain what the Allocation was. In her little girl's accepting, innocent voice, the whole process sounded almost reasonable. District 13 had problems with fertility, probably due to their constant proximity to nuclear chemicals. Add to this the danger of inbreeding due to having such an enclosed community, and you have created a society that, without order, will run itself aground. Hence, the Allocation.

The Allocation usually occurred on your 16th birthday, but with the new arrivals, all allocations had been moved to the same day, three months after their arrival, in order to give them a chance to learn a little about the district first. On this day, today, you would find out who your Partner would be. The Partner who you would then share a bed with, and have children with, until the end of your fertile life.

Katniss had been horrified, but it was just the beginning of her ordeal. Procreation classes occurred at least once a day. Some lessons were bearable, how to deliver a baby or how to know when you are going into labour, some were less so, on female genital anatomy or sexual positions. It made Katniss, stuck between Peeta and Gale, cringe in her seat.

_Peeta and Gale_. Katniss' breath caught in her throat, almost making her choke on the eggs. In some ways, she was glad she had not seen them all morning. Whatever happened, this afternoon she would be saying goodbye to one of them, possibly forever. At first she had been upbeat about it. She had always dreaded making this decision, but now her genes would decide for her. Whoever she was most compatible with, she would Partner. Yet, as time passed, she realised she couldn't survive without either of them.

Katniss pushed her plate aside. She had to find them.

* * *

Gale was the easiest. It was simply matter of finding him in the District Defence headquarters. She discovered him leaning over some form of device. She ran her fingers across the large expanse of his back.

He sighed, his eyes not leaving his plans. "I was trying to avoid you today."

Katniss frowned. "Why?"

Gale turned to face her, casually leaning back on the table. His face flitted through emotions, hurt, pain and confusion. "What if it isn't me?"

Katniss opened her mouth to try and reassure him, but there was nothing she could say. Not even that she hoped it was him, because she didn't know herself. "Nothing will change." she muttered instead.

"You can't believe that?" Gale snorted, but then he saw the fragile, haunted look in Katniss' eye. He pulled her towards him, so that she stood between his legs. Katniss lay her head on his chest. She imagined he smelt of pine and damp leaves, the smells of the woods, but all he smelt of was regulation District 13 soap. "I already know what it feels like to lose you. First, when your name got called. Again when I first saw you kiss Peeta. Then when the Capitol made you get married. I can't lie to you Katniss, it hurts. It hurts more than you could believe. But life goes on." Gale kissed her on the top of the head.

Katniss raised her head to look him in the eye. "Promise me we can carry on hunting."

Gale sighed. "I'm not sure Coin will let us any more. We'll both have... other duties to attend to."

Katniss nodded, not trusting her own voice as the tears flooded her eyes. "It could be us two."

Gale smiled, wiping away a tear that had escaped from Katniss' eye. "It could be. But just incase, can I do something? Once, just so I can say that I did." He tucked his fingers into Katniss' hair, and their lips met. It felt so natural, as their lips touched. Katniss' heart swelled in her chest. It was always supposed to have been Gale. If none of this would have happened, there would still have been him. Gale ran his hands over her body, sending a trail of tingles after them. It was like he was trying to touch every part of her, memorising her every feature.

Gale pulled away, smiling sadly. "Perfect. Shame it might be our last."

Katniss shook her head. "Or perhaps it's just the first of many."


	2. Chapter 2: What's in a Name

Chapter 2: What's in a Name

The last place Katniss thought to look was Peeta's room. Ever since their return from the Games, he had found it difficult to spend any time alone, with only his only haunted thoughts and memories to keep him company. Normally she found him playing with Prim and Buttercup, or helping Greasy Sae in the kitchens. Yet, it was his room where she found him.

"Peeta?"

Peeta looked up, his blonde curls ruffled and dark bags under his eyes. "Katniss."

Katniss sat down next to him on the bed. He bent his head against her shoulder.

"You didn't come last night." he whispered into her skin.

Katniss pursed her lips. Every evening, after her mother and Prim went to sleep, she would slip out of the room and come to Peeta. District 13 didn't believe in locking doors, so it was easy to slide into his room. At first, it had been out of pity: Prim had her mother, Gale had his family, Peeta had no one left. But now, Katniss found sleep difficult without Peeta's strong arms wrapped around her.

"I had a lot to think about." Katniss offered as an explanation. It was a weak excuse. _It was because I didn't want you to have to see me cry myself to sleep, _she felt like saying. It would have been impossible to be around Peeta, in the mess she was in. He always wanted to fix her, but there was nothing left to fix. It felt like the Games, and the failed Rebellion, had drained any life or fight she had left.

Peeta nodded. He wasn't like Gale, who probed her with questions, and demanded detailed answers. Peeta just treated all the information that Katniss offered him as an unquestionable truth. Not to say that Peeta was the easiest to handle out of the two.

"I don't deserve you." Peeta said, his breath catching at the end.

Katniss squeezed his hand. "Please, don't think like that."

"But I don't, Katniss." Peeta hesitated. "Last night, I just kept on thinking,_ if it isn't me, please don't let it be Gale. _Can't you see Katniss? I don't want you to be happy - unless it's with me."

Peeta suddenly looked embarrassed about his outburst, and Katniss realised she had no response for what he'd said. "I have to go." She fled the room, knowing that the next time she saw Peeta, everything would be changed.

* * *

Prim was waiting for her. Katniss had promised her that she could get her ready to meet her Partner, and Prim had taken the task to heart, gathering all the cosmetics she could find. District 13 was the only place in Panem outside of the Capitol where Katniss had seen make-up. She guessed the reasoning was that if you looked more attractive, your Partner was more likely to want to sleep with you, and, if everything went to plan, nine months later you would pop out a child. The whole idea made Katniss feel a little ill, and reminded her that, regardless of whose name she was given, by tomorrow morning she would no longer be a virgin. The thought made her hands go clammy, and her heart race. _I'm not ready for this._

Katniss kept her thoughts to herself, not wishing to spoil Prim's fun as Prim carefully applied shadow to Katniss' eyes.

"Who do you want it to be?" Prim asked, her eyes focused somewhere above Katniss' left eyelid.

"I don't know." Katniss sighed. "I love them both. The thought of losing one of them is killing me."

"I think you're lucky, Katniss. Think of Johanna, she loves nobody, and nobody loves her. Whatever happens today, she'll lose. But, whether it's Gale or it's Peeta that you have to Partner with, you'll be happy in the end."

Katniss blushed, embarrassed of her selfishness. "I hadn't considered it like that."

Prim admired her work, and handed Katniss a mirror. She'd done a good job: Katniss almost looked as beautiful as the night of the interviews in the Capitol, and that time she had a whole team of stylists.

"I wish I could see the look on Gale's face when he sees you." Prim realised what she said, and smiled gleefully. "I said Gale! That means I _must_ think it's going to be you and him."

Prim sank into the bed next to Katniss - It wouldn't be long now. The Allocation was an understated affair, probably to try to make the process seem as little like a Reaping as possible. You simply got a delivery of your new uniform, and where Katniss' currently said _Katniss Everdeen_, the last word would be replaced with... well, Katniss didn't know yet.

Prim continued her chatter, and Katniss knew it was out of nerves. "You have to admit Katniss, it is sort of exciting, embarking on a new life..." But even Primrose was too anxious to speak when the knock finally came.

The courier wore a white regulation District 13 uniform, and projected another, folded uniform towards Katniss, forcing it upon her.

"Congratulations on your Allocation." He spoke with the same monotone voice as all the District 13 residents. "Please get change into your new uniform. I will remain here, and escort you to your new chambers."

She took the uniform, closed the door and sat back down on her bed, in procrastination more than anything. There were only two names she could bear to see embroidered on that uniform. She repeated them over in her head:

_Katniss Mellark, Katniss Hawthorne, Katniss Mellark, Katniss Hawthorne._

She could see Prim attempting, and failing, to wait patiently. Katniss took a steadying breath and turned over the package.

_Katniss Odair._

* * *

_A/N: I am sure Courtney DiLaurentis and CindyLou will be pleased!_

_ I have the next chapter ready and waiting to be loaded up, and I'm really excited about it. Perhaps if I get lots of reviews for this chapter, I'll put it up now..._


	3. Chapter 3: Only Finnick

A/N: _I'm aiming to update two or three times a week, but this is a shorter chapter, so I'm giving you an extra update!_

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Chapter 3: Only Finnick

"_Finnick." _Katniss gasped for breath as despair tightened its clutches around her chest.

Prim's mouth fell open in shock. "What about Annie?"

Katniss knew Prim didn't mean it, that it was only her caring nature, but for the second time today, she made Katniss feel terrible. She hadn't even considered Annie for a moment, too caught up in her own feelings of loss and helplessness.

"There must be a mistake." For Katniss, denial was the only way to hold herself together. "I'm going to go and get Finnick and sort this out."

Katniss quickly redressed in her new uniform, white, with a silver trim to show she was both fertile and Partnered. If she were to become pregnant, she would gain a gold trim, to celebrate her success. The word _Odair_ looked out of place, resting, hopefully temporarily, on her right breast.

Now she had become Partnered, Katniss would have to wear a veil in public, white gauzy material covering her face. Far too much effort went into creating perfect biological matches to allow such uncivilised emotions as attraction or lust ruin them. Only her Partner would be able to see her now. _Only Finnick._

"District 13 doesn't make mistakes," Prim said, under her breath.

"It has this time."

* * *

Katniss was glad she had the courier. Her mind was so lost in all that had happened, it had no power left to try and compute where about in the building she was. She had struggled preparing herself for losing one of them, and now she'd lost both. It hurt more knowing that they would both be waiting in their new rooms for her to walk in, unknowing who their Partner would be until she sat on their doorstep. The girl would lift her veil and it would be... Katniss tried to think who was left. There were some girls from District 12, Delly maybe. Johanna would have to be Partnered. There were a couple of District 13 girls as well, who would be Partnered early so that there were enough women to go around.

Suddenly, there came a massive shout from somewhere ahead of them: loud masculine voices reverberating on the walls. The courier withdrew a walkie talkie from his belt.

"Remain here." He directed at Katniss, then shouted into his walkie talkie. "Urgent – Security Personnel required in Silver Block, Corridor C."

The courier was running towards the noise, but Katniss was transfixed by a ball of white and silver, dark hair flowing over tiny hands which the shape was holding over its ears. A strange, half laugh, half cry, emitted from the creature: it could only be Annie.

Katniss was glad for the shapeless, modest cut of the uniform, for it allowed her the crease the breast of the jacket, disguising the _Odair _that had parked itself, unwelcome, at the end of her name.

"Annie?" Katniss asked in her calmest voice, squatting down in front of the girl.

Annie straightened up and Katniss could read her name badge for the first time.

_Annie Mellark._

Katniss' heart leapt into her throat, and lodged itself there. She struggled to regain her breath: there were more pressing matters at hand.

"What's happening?" Katniss asked, disguising the urgency in her voice so she didn't startled the girl.

Annie opened and closed her mouth a few times before answering. "A man in white came. He told me to go with him. Finnick wasn't home. The silver looks better than the yellow." Katniss struggled to follow the mad woman's strange, disjointed sentences. "The man walked ahead of me. The walls were too white. Peeta was behind a door. His eyes were red. He wasn't expecting me. Finnick's voice..." Annie's voice tailed off.

"Annie, please, this is important. What happened next?"

"I shout to Finnick. Peeta's lips when Finnick hit him. I do not like Peeta's room as much as mine. The noise of Finnick shouting scares me, it is deep and it rumbles. It sounds like thunder on the sea. It sounds like the train to the Capitol. It sounds like the dam bursting. It sounds like-"

"Annie!" Katniss shouted this time, although not as loud as the voices from further inside the labyrinth of corridors, their words still incomprehensible, but their malice conveyed through the brick and stone. "Can you take me there?"

Annie thought, and nodded. Katniss lifted her to her feet, and Annie dragged her by the hand through the maze of corridors. _Please let him be alright._

They turned a corner, and the words were suddenly comprehensible.

"It's not my fault, Finnick!"

"If you lay one hand on her, I swear to God I will personally cut off your balls and make you watch while I set them on fire."

Finnick had Peeta pressed against a sterile white wall, his arm squeezed against Peeta's throat. Katniss gasped, and the two men turned to face her. Time stopped for a terrible moment, as Peeta's eyes flitted to her name tag.

Finnick summed it up in one eloquent word. "Shit!" Before it was even half out of his mouth, Peeta's fist made contact with his jaw.


	4. Chapter 4: Testosterone

Chapter 4: Testosterone

The two men wrestled on the floor, muscles bulging and murder in their eyes as they both fought for the upper hand. Finnick was the strongest, but the desperation made both men equal. Katniss knew they didn't really want to hurt each other, they just wanted to hurt the system, but the loud thumps echoed along the corridors.

Annie wrapped her fragile arms around Katniss' neck, and Katniss placed her hands over her delicate ears. Katniss could almost feel how it must seem to the poor girl. Violence this raw and brutal was rarely seen outside of the Arena, it must transport her back to the days that traumatised her beyond recovery.

"Can't you see what you're doing to her?" Katniss screamed, "Aren't we broken enough?" The sound of her voice was lost in the grunts of the two men.

Finnick had straddled Peeta, using his strong thighs to pin him to the floor. Finnick lifted his arm, hand curled into a tense fist. Katniss was frozen with horror, he was surely going to break Peeta's nose.

"This is District Defence. Step away from each other and raise your arms!" Katniss sighed with relief. The Defence squad stomped around the corner in their dark navy uniforms, six of them all together. _Thank goodness, _Katniss almost cried.

He relief was short-lived. The Officer on furthest on the left was tall and broad, with dark hair unlike any other in District 13, but remarkably similar to her own. Katniss knew that, had he been closer, she would see stern grey eyes beneath that coal hair. It was Gale...

And Gale had a gun.

Katniss had no time to think. It had been out of character for Peeta to react the way he did to the news, but Gale? She would have expected this from him. That meant his reception would be ten fold as bad. _And he had a gun._

Katniss released herself from Annie's grip and sprinted down the corridor. Gale looked at her in confusion, and she realised that she still had the veil obscuring her features. Katniss threw it back, and Gale's face lit up in recognition, then returned to confusion.

"Catnip, what's happening?"

Katniss distracted him in the only way she knew how, throwing her arms around his neck, and lifting her mouth to his in a desperate kiss. Gale broke off the kiss in bewilderment, but Katniss already had what she needed.

Gale's face stretched into a smile of elation. "I never let myself believe for a moment that we were going to be together. I couldn't, it would hurt too much to lose you, again, after all of this." Gale's eyes clouded with emotion. "We must really be for each other, Catnip, if even District 13 can see it."

Katniss covered his mouth with his hand, and lifted the veil where it was obscuring the Odair on her breast. Gale's eyes opened wide in horror.

She just had time to whisper, "I'm so sorry." Gale sprinted down the corridor, to join in the testosterone festival. He managed to take down two of his fellow Officers before he made it to Finnick and Peeta. Gale dished out his punches indiscriminately, equally pounding both of them. Katniss had a feeling that Gale had been waiting to punch Peeta for a long time.

_Atleast my plan worked,_ thought Katniss, twirling the gun she had stolen from Gale during their kiss, _or something could have happened that they really regretted._

* * *

In the end, it was a late arrival from Johanna that broke up the fight, as she pulled Finnick out of the fray by his ear, whilst the other two men were restrained by the Defence officers. Reinforcements arrived, and all three men were carried to the hospital wing.

"Ah well, boys will be boys." Johanna smiled at her, or Johanna Hawthorne, as her name tag now proclaimed. Katniss' overworked emotions couldn't take any more, and she could only laugh - Johanna and Gale together? _District 13 didn't know what it had let itself in for._

Johanna raised an eyebrow at Katniss' strange reaction. "Shall we follow them to hospital wing?"

The three women walked towards the elevators, Annie clinging desperately on Katniss' arm.

"So, you and Gale have been friends forever, right?" Johanna asked, seemingly unfazed by the situation. Katniss nodded her assent, and Johanna continued with a smirk. "You'll have to tell me what he's into."

Katniss became confused by the tone in Johanna's voice. "He likes hunting and the intricate nature of laying traps. He loves freedom, or atleast, the thought of it-"

Johanna cut Katniss off with the loud, dirty laugh. "That isn't what I meant. I mean, what's he _into_, you know, in bed." Johanna laughed again when she saw the horrifed expression on Katniss' face. "That is what we're here for, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't know!"

"You're no fun, keeping secrets. Perhaps it's for the best, I hear Finnick makes all of his lovers pay in secrets."

Katniss blushed bright crimson. "No really, I don't know. Me and Gale never..."

"But you and the Baker's boy did, right?"

Katniss gasped, "No!"

Johanna's frow furrowed. "So, unless you have yet another admirer back at home, I'm right in thinking that you are going into this completely unprepared." Katniss' silence spoke volumes. "Your first is going to be Finnick? God help you."

Katniss blanched. She whispered, even though Annie seemed entirely oblivious to the exchange, "What's wrong with Finnick?"

"Nothing, except..." Johanna hesitated, "I'm not sure if it would be funnier to tell you now, or let you find out later."

"Please, Johanna."

"Well, lets just say there was one thing that Finnick did let the Capitol alter." Katniss could see by the look on Johanna's face that she wasn't going to get any more information out of Johanna.

"I'm not going to sleep with Finnick." Katniss said, resolutely.

"You're not going to have a choice." Something close to fear filled Johanna's eyes. "Trust me."


	5. Chapter 5: The Hospital

Chapter 5: The Hospital

Johanna had perked up by the time they reached the Hospital wing. Katniss guessed Johanna's glee stemmed from the knowledge she was about to be able to tease the boys about their tussle. _Poor Gale, _Katniss thought to herself, but not without a little smile on the corner of her lips.

An unknown nurse escorted them to where the boys had already been separated into different recovery rooms. Katniss almost expected to hear her mother or Prim shouting down the corridor to her, but realised there would be no way they would recognise her with the obligatory shroud covering her face.

Katniss had been hoping they would pass Gale or Peeta's room before reaching Finnick, so she would at least be able to see they were alright, but the odds really weren't in her favour this day. Nor any day it seemed.

His room had a glass front, was sterile white and its only furnishing was a bed in the centre. Finnick lay on the bed, staring longingly at the door and looking thoroughly sorry for himself. The moment Annie spotted Finnick, she ran up to the glass and started banging on it. "Finn!" she squealed, and threw back her veil. "Finn! It's me! It's your Annie!"

A huge smile, the most genuine Katniss had seen from him, broke out on his beautiful face. He stumbled over to the glass panel, one arm supporting his left side. He placed his hand where Annie had placed hers.

"Annie," he mouthed through the glass. Then he leant forwards and pressed his lips against this glass. Annie giggled and did the same, so that if it weren't for the glass they would be kissing. Suddenly, Finnick whipped out his tongue and licked the glass where Annie's face was resting against it. She jumped back and laughed.

The nurse tutted disapprovingly, "That room is sterile. I've haven't got all day. You, Odair." The nurse pointed at Katniss. "Either go in or leave the wing."

Katniss approached the room, her hands shaking with nerves.

_You're being ridiculous,_ she thought, _you've survived two lots of Hunger Games, but you're more nervous about the boy behind this door._

She gently pushed open the door, and slid it shut behind her. She would rather the whole ward didn't hear her embarrassment when Finnick got angry.

She heard Finnick sighed deeply as he got back into the bed. "Are you alright?" she asked, keeping her eyes locked on the tiled floor and hoping her voice wouldn't betray her.

"I'm just fine and dandy," Finnick replied, his usual seductive purr full of scorn. " In one day, I've had the only girl I've ever loved taken away from me,_ again_, and got three of my ribs broken in a fight over a girl I didn't even want. How do you _think_ I feel? It's a good job I married you for your looks and not your brain, Mrs Odair."

"I'm fed up of people calling me that."

"Trust me, Katniss, it makes me feel physically ill that you have my surname."

Katniss tried to keep the anger out of her voice. "Well, just for the record, I wouldn't have chosen you either."

"Liar, " said Finnick, some of the purr back in his voice, "They all pick me in the end. Besides, I've seen the way you stare..."

"I am not a liar!"

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are-" Finnick is cut off by the door opening.

"I hope I'm not interrupting." Katniss spins around to see none other than the President Alma Coin in the door frame.

"Certainly not, ma'am." came Finnick's suddenly serious voice from the bed. Katniss stands closer to him; as much as she wouldn't like to admit it, the more time Katniss spends in District 13, the more Coin beings to frighten her.

"Good." Coin said, slowly surveying the room. "Are you feeling better?"

"Almost, your nurses have been very accommodating."

"I'm glad to hear it. As you may have guessed, I am not here for chit-chat. I've had some news brought to me this evening that I have found rather... distressing. Now, I know that you will understand what I'm talking about, and I don't want to bring up the whole sorry mess again. I'm here to make sure that you _do_ understand the repercussions of not complying with our rules here."

Finnick and Katniss both stared guiltily at the floor, and Coin continued, "If you don't copulate your marriage within the first week, this will be classed as failure to comply with the rules within your Parnership, and you will be assigned Nuclear Duties. We have noticed here in District 13 that an uncooperative nature can run in families. Sometimes, I think it would be best to send the whole family to Nuclear Duties, and save the wasting of a perfectly good pair bond." It was a barely concealed threat, not only to Katniss, but to Prim aswell. Katniss thought about the few people she had seen in District 13 who had been sentenced to Nuclear Duties. They were tumour ridden from working in such close proximity to nuclear substances on a daily basis, and their eyes devoid from hope from years of not seeing the sunshine. Maybe Katniss could cope, but Prim? Katniss shuddered. "If you do not conceive your first child within one year of marriage, we will arrange for you to have procreation sessions with more experienced citizens. Any questions?"

Finnick ventured one. "Why aren't I good enough for Annie?"

Coin snorts in disdain. "We put them two together because they're lost causes. I couldn't risk losing your genes in something like her."

Katniss could see Finnick hands tense into a ball._ Please, don't do anything stupid._

"I'll leave you now. I'll take it you both now fully understand what it will mean if more of my time is wasted dealing with your Partnering. I'm going to order that dinner be brought to your rooms for the next three days, so I do not expect to see you leave them."

Coin went to leave the room, but turned to add one last thought. "We have ways and means of checking you have complied with our rules, remember that."

Coin swiftly exited the room, and Katniss shakily released a breath that she didn't realise she had been holding. "I'm going to go back to our room."

"Probably for the best." Finnick jumped out of bed, the best he can with three broken ribs, and begins rummaging through drawers. "Take these." He passed Katniss various bottles of pills and liquids.

Finnicks hand shot up Katniss' jacket and she jumped back in horror. "What are you doing?!"

Finnick shushed her. "I'm hiding them." As he continued to fiddle inside her jacket, Katniss realised this is the closest she has been to Finnick.

_He should smell like the sea, _she thought_, in the same way Gale should smell of pine trees, and Peeta should smelling of baking bread._

But they all just smell of District 13 soap.

* * *

_**A/N:**__ On a completely unrelated note, I am about 3 chapters ahead in writing this, and in the middle of a rather steamy section with Mr Odair (yes, they are coming up soon, and they will be even better for the wait!). It just got me to thinking, who do all your Finnicks look like? And does anyone know who is going to be playing him in the films?_


	6. Chapter 6: The Apartment

**A/N:** I know a few of you weren't entirely happy with Finnick's attitude to Katniss in the last chapter. Bearing in mind he has just lost Annie, has been beaten up by two men at the same time, and the Rebellion he has been planning for god knows how long has failed, I think he is actually doing pretty well. Besides, despite being perfection, he is still a bloke, and bloke's require patience.

Anyway, they are about to get some much needed alone time, and Coin has put a week's deadline on them sleeping with each other; perhaps not the most romantic of settings, but I imagine things are going to change a lot between them in the next few chapters. Well, _you_ can imagine, I already have the chapters sat in my document manager waiting to be uploaded once I get some feedback from this chapter. Maybe if you all left reviews, my finger might accidentally slip and load the next chapter up early – it is possible.

* * *

Chapter 6: The Apartment

_Why does he have to be such an asshole? _Katniss thought, storming through the hospital wing. _Doesn't he understand that I'm hurting too?_

In the short time Katniss had known Finnick, she had seen many of his faces: the compulsive flirt for the Capitol, the protective lover for Annie. Who would her Finnick be?

A familiar voice broke her reverie. "Katniss!" A little pair of blonde plaits popped into her vision.

"Prim!" Katniss exclaimed. "Peeta? Gale? Have you seen them?"

"Yes, and before you ask, they're fine. Physically, anyway. Peeta has a black eye, he thinks it was Gale. Gale has come out surprisingly unscathed. Except that Johanna is in his room, threatening to murder him if he ever touches Finnick again." Katniss giggled, those two are never going to get along. Prim's voice became serious. "So it isn't a mistake?"

Katniss nodded her head solemnly, "They think Peeta and Annie are lost causes."

"I thought they might do something like that. They're broken, Katniss. You and Finnick are the survivors. After you left, I went to find all of your files. Annie's was interesting: there had been an argument that she would be a burden on society if she wasn't allowed to stay with Finnick, but during the pre-Allocation testing, they found out she was still a, you know..."

Prim blushed, but Katniss pressed on for more information. "Still a what?"

"Still a _virgin_."

Now, it began to make sense to Katniss. "What about Peeta?"

Prim screwed up her face. "His wasn't as detailed. It said he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, with potential for a serious mental collapse in the future. I know he hasn't been the same since we came here, but I never realised it was so bad."

"Neither did I, Prim." Katniss kissed the top of her sisters head, as best as she could through the veil. "Look after them."

Katniss left, following the signs until she found the silver block. Here, she found door which proclaimed "F. & K. Odair" in a cursive silver script. She looked on the other doors, to see who her neighbours would be. "P. & A. Mellark" was written on the door to the left, and "G. & J. Hawthorne to their right. _District 13 must have a really warped sense of humour,_ thought Katniss.

She entered the room, to see where she would be spending the next three days in solitary confinement, and would be classed as her home every day after that, unless she got pregnant and was moved to the gold block of apartments.

It seemed to have been created with one sole purpose in mind: procreation. The walls were painted a sultry shade of red, the bed sheets plush and silky and mirrors adorned every surface. It was immediately obvious that there would be no other form of entertainment in this room apart from Finnick; no books, no television, only conversation or procreation.

She reached into her jacket, and found the medication he had left there. _What could he possibly need all this for? _She looked in the cupboards and drawers for somewhere to hide it. The first cupboard she happened on was obviously Finnick's wardrobe. He had two more uniforms for outside wear, but it was the clothing designed for wear in their apartment that intrigued her most. Extravagant dressing gowns, pyjama bottoms made in a variety of luxurious materials. There were no real clothes. This brought a smile to Katniss' lips, _I highly doubt Finnick will mind that. _

Katniss opened her own wardrobe with a growing dread building within her. It was much the same: a couple more uniforms, all enscribed with the name _Katniss Odair_, and various styles of indecent clothing: silk teddies, lace nightdresses, sheer babydolls. There was absolutely nothing Katniss would feel comfortable in. She opened the drawer below her dresser, and realised her horror had not yet ended. This drawer held all of her underwear, but nothing recognisable as anything Katniss had ever worn before: tiny strips of silk, and ridiculously padded bras.

She crept back over to Finnick's wardrobe, and pulled out his underwear drawer. Shyly, she picked out the first pair of boxer shorts and surveyed them. They were plain black, but would be ridiculously tight. The image of Finnick wearing them abruptly entered her mind, his lazy smile on his face, strong thighs emerging from the bottom and light smattering of hair leading from his navel to the place Katniss couldn't think about. It wasn't difficult for her imagine – every girl in her old school seemed to have a picture of _the_ Finnick Odair wearing very little. A deep blush spread across her cheeks, and she was glad no one was around to see it.

Katniss sat on the bed with her head in her hands. It all made her feel a little ill. She had always presumed the District was low on resources, and that was why everything had to be rationed so carefully, but here she sat, in the most decadent, lavish, room she had seen since the Capitol, and it had been built with one purpose in mind: to make her want to sleep with Finnick. The thought made her shudder, and not in the good way.

She heard the door open, and realised what was still in her hands : _Finnick's shorts._ She kept her head in her hands, hoping she would be able to hide them.

"Katniss?" _Oh crap, it's Finnick. Please, please don't sit down. _"Are you ok?" Katniss felt the bed move with his weight as he sat down next to her.

"Yes, I'm fine." She replied in a small voice, hoping he would leave.

"I got them to let me leave early. I told them I couldn't wait to get home and make love to my wife. You should have seen the nurse's face" Finnick laughed, but it wasn't as full of scorn like it had been earlier, just his usual cheeky laugh. "I'm really sorry. I know it isn't your fault that you've got landed with me, or that you have two apes for suitors. I'm just angry with the situation. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Katniss appreciated his apology, but couldn't risk him finding what's in her hands. She realised she also left his underwear drawer open, and she can feel all her blood rush to her face. "I need some time alone."

She hears Finnick sigh beside her, and immediately feels guilty. He whispers in her ear softly, "I'm not leaving until I see a smile."

* * *

**A/N**: I know this seems like a bit of a funny place to leave a chapter, but this chapter was threatening to be huge. Besides, this way I get to keep you guessing about whether Katniss is going to risk offending Finnick, or admit that she has been rifling through his undies.


	7. Chapter 7: Cabin Fever Day One

_A/N: Thankyou for all the support, I am completely overwhelmed. Happy 50th review anniversary guys! Here is a nice fluffy chapter to say thanks:)_

Chapter 7: Cabin Fever – Day One

Katniss had never been good at social situations, but this one really did take the biscuit. Finnick was doing his best to apologise, and she couldn't even lift her hand out of her hands. The silence hung heavy in the room.

"I really am sorry for offending you." said Finnick, and it was the first time Katniss had ever heard his voice without the layer of self-confidence adorning it. It was a surprisingly soft voice, quiet and softly lilting.

She felt his weight move from the from the bed and cringed into her hands. He wouldn't understand she was just curious, and Finnick could be the worst tease in the world. Katniss knew she would never live this down, so she let him walk, relief washing through her with every step he took.

"Ermmm Katniss?" Katniss heart jumped back into her throat as he said her name. "Why is my underwear drawer open?"

Katniss drew her hands away from her face, and stared at him with a face of pure horror, the blood rushing to her face resulting in a crimson hue rising on her cheekbones. Finnick stared back at her in shock, then the corners of his lips lifted until a huge smile covered his face.

"Katniss Odair! You are a disgrace!" He said, laughing loudly. "I never knew you had it in you!"

"I was just looking for somewhere to put your medicines." She replied, and the lie sounded feeble even to her own ears.

"Likely story." Finnick said, still laughing. He caught sight of what was in her hands. "Please tell me they are what I think they are."

Katniss looked at the ground sheepishly. "Probably."

Finnick ran to her, and grasped the pants out of her hands. He held the boxers so they were level with his waist, as if he was trying to guess what they would look like on. "There isn't much room to hide medicine in there."

"No, there isn't."

Finnick looked at her, suddenly serious, the devilish twinkle in his sea-green eyes making him look menacingly handsome. "Would you like to see them on?" Katniss stuttered, he mouth opening and closing with no sound emerging. This was the Capitol's Finnick: the devastating, charming victor. His smile re-emerged at the sight of the floundering girl. His joyful chuckle was cut off as his face creased in pain.

"What's the matter?" Katniss gasped, supporting the man as he started to keel over.

"My ribs," he replied, the purr lost from his voice with the pain. Katniss supported him to the bed, and lay him down.

Once the pain had began to subside, he gave her a grateful smile. "Please don't make me laugh – it hurts too much."

"Somehow, I doubt there is ever going to be a repeat of this."

"That's a shame." Finnick sighed. "What have we gotten ourself into?"

Katniss, who had stayed next to Finnick on the bed, shook her head. "It's like we've left one prison for another."

His face darkened. "You never saw the worst of the Capitol. Believe me, this is heaven compared to there."

"You always looked like you enjoyed it."

"I was just good at my job," he said, his eyes narrowed. "I had to be."

Katniss nodded, she knew better than to press for information. Each victor carries their own secrets. "It's been a long day, let's get to bed."

Finnick looked down at his fully clothed body. "I can't move Katniss. I'm going to need some help getting undressed." Katniss' eyes widened in horror. "I can sleep in my clothes if you don't think you would be able to control yourself. I might even give you some of my pants to say thankyou, seeing as you seem to have become so attached to them."

Katniss laughed, "It's ok." Katniss felt anything but ok. The only man she had ever undressed was Peeta in their Games. Ofcourse, she had seen Gale as well without most of his clothes, but only after he had been whipped. It seemed she only ever saw men naked when they were injured.

Hoping her cool, collected demeanour was believable, she walked carefully over to Finnick's wardrobe. She selected the most normal pair of soft cotton bottoms she could find. To her horror their were no shirts in sight, so she took out a dressing gown.

"Will these do?" she asked, hoping her voice wouldn't shake. Finnick, who had been following her with his eyes, nodded.

She carefully sat back on the edge of the bed, trying not to disturb him.

"Be careful," he said, suddenly vulnerable.

"I promise." Katniss replied, although, if she were honest, she didn't have a clue what she was doing. Tentatively, she undid the button on the front of his uniform, her fingers tripping over each other with nerves as they revealed, inch by inch, a well-defined tanned chest. The buttons were undone, and the shirt gaped at the front so that Katniss could see soft skin covering hard muscle. Finnick flinched slightly as she pulled him up in order to push the shirt back off his broad shoulders.

The silence became tense when Katniss moved down to his trousers. There was no way she could undo the zip without brushing down the length of him.

"Do you want to do this bit?" She asked, hopefully.

Finnick smiled cheekily. "No."

_Two can play at this game_, thought Katniss, and in a completely uncharacteristic move, she purposefully slid her hand across his groin until Finnick groaned. Her eyes flitted up to his, and found them looking down at her, lids heavy.

"I was moaning because of my ribs." he said.

"I know." Katniss shot him a look that she hoped was sexy.

"I have a feeling we're going to have a lot of fun Katniss."


	8. Chapter 8: Cabin Fever Day Two

Chapter 8: Cabin Fever - Day Two

After much manoeuvring and manipulation, Katniss managed to get Finnick redressed. Finnick fought her every step of the way, informing her that his natural for him to be naked, but Katniss wasn't having any of it.

Katniss selected what seemed to be the least revealing teddy. Suddenly, she realised how little privacy she had. Eye wide open with alarm, she stared around the room, looking for a bolt-hole.

"I promise I wont look." said Finnick, his face impressively sincere.

"When it comes to things like this, I trust you right about as far as I could throw you." Katniss searched the doors and eventually found one which led to their ensuite. This room was a little less vulgar, simply white with a small washbasin and shower.

She removed the uniform that had ruined everything. Was it really only this morning that she had kissed Gale? Unintentionally, the corners of her mouth lifted into a smile as she remembered the soft feeling of the seam boy's lips against her own. Reality reared it's ugly head as she realised Gale was right: that would be their first, and their last.

She slipped on the teddy, which was ridiculously short, but atleast not translucent, like the majority of her newly acquired clothes. It didn't quite fit, gaping a little too much around the front, and the thought dawned on Katniss that she wasn't it's first owner. The thought made her feel a little sick, but the thought of sleeping naked in the same room as Finnick made her feel even worse.

Ready for bed, Katniss slipped back into the bedroom. Finnick had managed to get himself out of bed, and was now leaning against the wall they shared with Annie and Peeta's room, listening through the wall using a glass cup pressed against his ear.

"I can't hear anything." He says, to nobody in particular.

"Perhaps they just aren't talking."

"Do you think she can hear me?"

Katniss could see that Finnick needed reassurance. "Yes, I expect she can."

Finnick opened his mouth, and then closed it abruptedly again. "I don't know what I could say."

Katniss recalled Rue's dying wish, _Sing for me. _"Why don't you sing for her?"

Finnick pursed his lips, as if weighing this option in his mind. Then his lips parted, and a voice so melodic and haunted emerged that Katniss felt tears welling in her eyes.

_Looking out from underneath,_

_Fractured moonlight on the sea, _

_Reflections still look the same to me, _

_As before I went under._

_And the arms of the ocean are carrying me,_

_And all this devotion is rushing out of me,_

_And the crashes are heaven, for a sinner like me,_

_The arms of the ocean, deliver me._

Katniss slipped in between the sheets, the covers still warm from where Finnick's body had been lying. She listened to his voice, each note hanging vulnerably in the air. She hoped some of them were reaching Annie.

She slept soundly with the sound of his music to comfort her. She didn't even wake when he slid into the bed beside her as carefully as he could with his bruised ribs. The bed rocked occasionally when a particularly strong sob of grief racked Finnick body, but they didn't reached Katniss, cocooned in her slumber.

* * *

Morning was hard to judge in District 13. In Prim and her mother's room, they had had a tiny window for Buttercup to slip in and out of, so the light changed with the day. In Peeta's room, the artificially light remained the same all day, then suddenly turned off at curfew, when the District decided you should sleep. Here, the room was always sultry dark and there were no clocks on the walls. Apparently, whatever was supposed to be happening in here was more important than their timetables.

It was only after sleeping that she realised how numb she had been the day before. Everything she loved had been taken away from her: Peeta's easy smile, hunting in the forests with Gale, Prim's security. All she was left with was the broken husk of a man beside her, and she realised that she barely even knew him. Worse, she had spent the first few days of their relationship waiting for the perfect moment to kill him.

It was the golden bracelet, encrusted with gold flames that had changed her mind, and with a shock, Katniss realised he was still wearing it. As the gold glinted on his arm, it almost seemed like a message from Haymitch all over again. What could he be saying this time?

Katniss curled herself into a ball, and, for the first time since the ruined Rebellion which claimed thousands of innocent lives, she let herself feel, truly feel, the pent-up emotions that she had stored within her tiny frame. The tears flowed freely, and it felt like somewhere between going mad in despair, and a therapeutic cleansing.

She felt a hand stroking her back, cutting through her grief. It wasn't the easy contact she was used to with Peeta, the feeling of this hand on her back sent all of her senses into overdrive, wondering whether to fight or flee. But the touch became comforting, as she relaxed into it, and the tears ebbed away.

"You don't have to stop on my part." Finnick's voice cut through the blackness of her despair. "Sometimes it can be good to just get it all out."

"You aren't crying."

"It's OK, I did my crying last night."

Katniss turned to face Finnick, his just-woken hair slightly curly, and lapping his forehead in waves like a gentle bronze sea. "What's going to happen to us?"

Finnick shrugged, as best he could with his sore ribs, "It's up to you: we can give in to Coin and live a life of subjugated misery, or we can start living life like the joke that it is, and have an absolute whale of a time."

Katniss smiled and narrowed her eyes, as if weighing the options. "I choose the latter. But Prim-"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Finnick cut her off, with an understanding look in his eye.

But when it came to Prim, Katniss couldn't wait a moment without knowing she was safe. "I want to cross it now." And, before Finnick could protest, she leant forwards, pressing her lips firmly against his. Katniss didn't know how to initiate the act she needed to save Prim, but decided that this would be a good starting point.

Luckily, Finnick took over, and wound his hands through her hair, pulling her towards him. Katniss could almost feel herself shaking with nerves, but kept them in check, knowing that Finnick would withdraw at a moments notice. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, having Finnick's expert tongue exploring her mouth. Ofcourse, it was altogether wrong and should never have happened, but it was different, new... exciting.

His hands began to explore her body, settling on the small of her back and pulling her flush against him. Katniss wasn't sure what to do with her own, so left them neutrally resting on Finnicks chest, praying that when the time came, she would know what to do. As the foreign feelings of lust began to building with in her, she dared to believe she would.

Finnick rolled her, almost roughly, onto her back, and Katniss saw for the first time what a woman's body could do to a man. His eyes became misted as if in a trance, and the cotton bottoms hid nothing of his obvious excitement. It was all so different to how she had imagined it, not least because when she imagined it, it was always Peeta or Gale.

She spoke, and her voice startled even herself, surprisingly low and husky. "I'm afraid I haven't got any secrets for you."

"You wouldn't be the only person indebted to the Bank of Finnick." Finnick mouth drew back into a lazy smile. He leant forwards, whispering his next sentences into Katniss ear, causing her whole body to quiver. "But remember, I _never_ leave debts unpaid."

Finnick propped himself up on his elbow, so his body was all Katniss could see. Even Katniss, in her unexperienced way, new that the momentary look of pain that flashed across his face was not just part of the process.

"What wrong?" She gasped, and Finnick fell back onto the bed.

"It's my ribs." Finnick replied, but the tortured expression on his face spoke of more. "How about you give a guy a chance to heal?"

_But you'll never be healed_, Katniss felt like saying, but instead replied with, "We have a week, right?"

Finnick's voice was already distant, and Katniss knew that he was no longer in the room with her. "A week..."

* * *

_A/N: Who knows what Finnick's song is?_


	9. Chapter 9: Isolation

_A/N: Thankyou all so much for the comments on the last chapter, it seems a lot of us want to open a current account with the Bank of Finnick._

_The song in the last chapter was a highly abridged version of Never Let Me Go, by Florence and the Machine. I liked the sea references, quite apt for Finnick, I thought. _

_I may need some more songs for him at some point, so if anyone can give me some songs about the ocean or water etc, I would be very grateful._

_Just a note for those of you who are thinking "where has the story gone?", fear not. Finnick and Katniss have one more day in isolation, then my tale starts in proper. _

Chapter 9: Isolation

The day passed in isolation. As promised, Coin had arranged to have their food brought to their rooms and they were not permitted to leave.

Strange undercurrents plagued the room. Katniss was desperate to save Prim, and tried several times during the day to seduce Finnick. Each effort failed miserably, with a gentle yet firm shun from him.

In the end, they settled lying on the bed, conversing.

"How did you meet Annie?" Katniss asked.

"A lot of people thought we were already together before she got Reaped, but that isn't true. I used to go into her father's net shop and buy nets I didn't really have any use for." Katniss knew that feeling, she would spend days buying things she didn't need, just so she didn't have the weight of the coin in her pocket while she watched children starve. "She wasn't as vague as she is now, and she was so adorable with her dark hair and bright eyes that I would time my visits, just so I got to speak to her. Then she got Reaped and everything changed." Finnick sighed and hesitated, as if he was considering letting Katniss in on a great secret. "I'll always think it was because of me, because Snow wanted to hurt me. I was better than most he sold: before Annie's Games, I was quite happy to sleep around in the Capitol. I would always try and justify it to myself, saying it was what was expected of me, but it wasn't until I fell in love with Annie that I realised how much I used to enjoy it, and how much I would never enjoy it again."

Katniss knew the conversation was beginning to hurt him, and as much as she wanted to hear everything about this boy who had as much reason to hate Snow as she did, she knew when it was time to move on.

Finnick was exhausting, Katniss decided. His moods flitted between joyous and sombre, funny and reflective. If it was playful Finnick hiding behind those eyes, he would know exactly what to say to take Katniss' mind off deeper thoughts. If it was introverted Finnick, he would make her own deepest, darkest thoughts seem like only the first layer of the ocean, and he was traversing the lonely crags and trenches beneath. More often than not, it was easier not to speak.

During the day they heard random thumps coming from the walls to their left and right, and the occasional word would carry through the wall: undistinguishable from it's travels through the concrete, but the only form of human contact they were able to cling to. Each noise brought Katniss comfort, knowing that they were not alone in this journey.

They seemed to do the opposite to Finnick, who froze at every sound. "You don't they're-"

"No, Finnick, no I don't." When it came to Annie, Finnick was a small child who needed comforting.

Their relationship became an easy silence during the day: they each had a lot of common ground, the Games, their mutual hatred of Snow, their fierce protection of their loved ones, but nothing either of them felt like talking about.

Instead, Finnick made knots in his rope, and in a rare selfless action, donated part to Katniss. The knots reminded Katniss too much of Gale setting traps, and Finnick's instructions lost their lilting tones as his voice slowly morphed into Gale's in her mind. But she continued, knowing that this was quite a large step for Finnick: his realisation that someone else was hurting as much as himself, and trying to fix them the only way he knew how.

They both decided to go to bed early, the boredom of the room made them want to cut their days as short as possible. Dinner arrived at their door and they ate in comfortable silence. Katniss noticed their portion sizes had visibly increased, and wondered what they were supposed to be doing that would warrant the extra calories.

Finnick began what Katniss supposed would become their night time ritual, as he pulled himself up to the wall, set a glass tumbler in place and waited patiently to hear Annie's voice one last time before he settled into bed. When he began singing to her, a gentle song about a man who fell in love with a mermaid, Katniss decided it was time to take a shower.

Their little shower in the en-suite was nowhere near as complicated as the Capitol showers, and as the water ran over the body, she listened to Finnick's voice. The song drew to a close, and it was only her and the sound of the warm water cascading from the shower head.

She wrapped a towel around herself, and realised she had forgotten to bring a change of clothes into the ensuite with her – if what District 13 had provided her with could ever be classed as clothes. She opened the door, and felt her jaw drop.

Finnick was lying on top of the covers, distant smile on his lips, one arm behind his head... and entirely naked. This, Katniss had seen before, men came to her mother all the time with various ailments, and usually the first point of call was to strip them. It was what Finnick was doing that left her speechless.

His breathing grew heavy, and the occasional breath would hitch, as his hand travelled up and down his-his- Katniss couldn't think of the word to describe it. Their procreation teacher would have called it a penis, Johanna would have called it a dick. But neither of those words came close to describing what she was looking at. It rose majestically from Finnick, every inch as beautiful as the man himself, and it was huge. Beyond huge. Johanna's words rang in her head, _there is one thing he did let the Capitol alter._

_I guess I've found it,_ thought Katniss. Her voice betrayed her, releasing a gasp.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you that it's rude to stare?" came a voice from the bed. It was Finnick's Capitol voice, deep and rough, full of desires and secrets, urging you to take your clothes off without ever saying it outright.

Katniss blushed from her toes to the tips of her hair. Flustered, she replied, "I just needed some clothes."

"Go on then, I'm not stopping you." And it was true, he wasn't stopping her, he never moved once from the rhythm his hands were setting for himself.

Each step towards the wardrobe was a potential hazard. Katniss felt like her insides had melted. She risked looking back at Finnick, and almost gasped again when she noticed he had opened his eyes, a dangerous glint of green following her around the room.

It took all her self control not to run back to run back to the bathroom, away from this room full of things that weren't her, things she wasn't ready for. When she finally made it back to the bathroom, she closed the door, as casually as she could for appearance's sake, and slid down the back of it.

Her heart almost beat it's way out of her chest. She was scared, lonely, confused, but there was another feeling underneath it, one entirely foreign. She squeezed her thighs together, hoping it would abate.

Her mind imploded under the weight of questions, not least of all _how is it going to fit_? The breath flew out of her with the weight of her imminent betrayal: _What about Peeta? What about Gale?_

_What about Prim?_

The very thought of Prim seemed to refocus her mind. Would it be so far to just go back in there, climb on top of him and think about someone else? If it meant Prim's safety? Katniss knew pain, physical and emotional. Would this be any different?

_It'll only be different if I choose to make it that way_, realised Katniss._ Finnick is a professional, he has had more woman than I've had hot dinners. I could just be another. No emotional attachments. District 13 can own my body, and if they want me to give it to Finnick, so be it. But my heart belongs to whoever I choose to give it to._

She took a steadying breath, and stood up, making an effort to hold her chin high and back straight. _Let them see, I'm not broken._

She looked down at what she had brought in to wear. She had been so quick to get out of the room, she had grabbed the first thing on the rail. The sight of the sheer lace nightdress almost weakened her resolve, but she knew it looked far sexier on the hanger than it ever would on her, and she wouldn't have to wear it for long anyway. She slid it on, and studied herself in the mirror. She pulled the plait out of her hair, let it tumble around her shoulders. There was make-up on the counter, and she choose a dark, vampish shade of red lipstick: anything to make her look as little like herself as possible.

Her hands were shaking when she placed them on the handle, every bone in her body telling her that she was going to embarrass herself. _Prim, _she thought, and the fear subsided.

She twisted the handle, and saw that Finnick had pulled the covers back over himself, and was facing away from her.

"Finnick, I'm ready." she spoke, the slight tremor in her voice at odds with the words.

There was no response from the shape in the bed, and Katniss almost smiled, despite the circumstances. This was typical Finnick, he was going to make her work for it. _Well_, she thought, _two can play at that game._

She strutted over to his side of the bed, swaying her hips in a motion she prayed was sexy. She knelt down beside him, and stared up at him coyly.

"Don't you want me?" she said, her voice soft and attractive. She pulled back the covers.

Finnick was asleep.

* * *

_A/N: My Finnick is Irish, how does your Finnick sound?_


	10. Chapter 10 NOTICE OF DISCONTINUATION

_You guys might have guessed that I have decided to discontinue this story._

_I did have fun writing it and you were all so supportive so I just wanted to say thanks to all of you._

_Maybe in the future I will be able to find time to write again, but at the moment all my attention is on another HG fic that I'm co-authoring called The Intergalactic Games which I've been writing for a lot longer than this and is my priority. I've got a link to it on my profile if you like my writing style and fancy checking it out._

_I will let all the people who regularly reviewed and encouraged me with this project know if I decide to carry on with it, after the Intergalactic Games is finished._


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